


Fraternizing with the Enemy

by adenei



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Muggle, F/M, HPRomione Discord's ROMioneCOM Challenge, Inspired by Romeo and Juliet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-24
Packaged: 2021-03-27 20:14:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30128241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adenei/pseuds/adenei
Summary: Join a sorority, they said. It’ll be fun! You’ll make so many lifelong friends and have more connections to the professional world than you could ever imagine. ...but what will happen when Hermione meets the mysterious man of her dreams who just so happens to be in the rival fraternity? The one they've been feuding with for fifty years? American College Muggle AU! Inspired by the Shakespearean classic, Romeo and Juliet.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley
Comments: 23
Kudos: 30
Collections: RomioneCom





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> As stated in the summary, this story is inspired by the Romeo and Juliet, and also a modern day version of Romeo and Juliet called "Unmasking Juliet" by Teri Wilson. I truly hope you enjoy this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it so far. Updates will be once a week! A big shout of to my cheer squad and beta team: accio_broom and be11atrixthestrange. you guys are the literal best!

###  “True, I talk of dreams, which are the children of an idle brain, begot of nothing but vain fantasy…” - Act I, scene iv

The night was barely halfway through, and Hermione had had enough. _Join a sororit_ y _, they said._ _It’ll be fun! You’ll make so many lifelong friends and have more connections to the professional world than you could ever imagine._ So, she pledged during her freshman year, and after almost giving up twice, she’d been initiated as a member of Sigma Delta Nu, or Sigma Del, as everyone called it.

Now, Hermione was in her senior year of college and her fourth year of the sorority. She lived in the Sigma Del house with her roommate, Padma. They attended all the events and fundraisers required of them, and their sorority was at the top of the Greek ladder on campus, which was why she found herself in the middle of the Character Ball, hosted by Theta Zeta Eta. 

The Sigma Dels were friendly with the Theta Zetas, as they were with most of the other houses on campus, except for the Zeta Mu Taus, their sworn rivals since the creation of Greek life at Pacific State. Hermione didn’t understand the hatred, but they rarely mixed with the fraternity, so it didn’t bother her much. 

But that was beside the point. Hermione turned her attention back to her surroundings and couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the extravagance of the event. With alumni who contributed to their sorority regularly, the Theta Zetas always threw the most over the top events, and this one was no less magnificent. Most sororities and fraternities simply hosted their parties in their houses, but the Theta Zeta Eta had rented a winery in nearby Napa Valley for their event. 

Hermione had to pick up extra shifts with Admissions to cover her portion of the limo the Sigma Dels reserved for the ball. In her mind, keeping up with pretenses was a bit overrated, but she’d made it this far with her sisters, so she figured she’d stick it out. It was good to have some sort of social life since her Art History degree would have left her quite lonely on its own. Though, she figured she’d rather be lonely right now than faced with her current situation.

When it came to extravagant events such as this, the Sigma Dels were typically escorted by members of Tau Sigma Alpha, the top fraternity on campus. Appearances needed to be kept between the two most popular houses at school. Her sisters had guilted Hermione into allowing Draco Malfoy to accompany her.  _ What’s one date?  _ They’d insisted.  _ He’s the dreamiest Tau Sig, and he wants to take you. You should be flattered _ , Romilda had snarked. 

_ Well, then why don’t you let him escort you?  _ Hermione had bit back the response she’d so desperately wanted to say as she ultimately gave Draco a polite ‘no, thank you.’ But Draco couldn’t handle her declination, so he’d complained and threatened to sever Tau Sig’s ties with Sigma Del if Hermione turned him down, which forced her hand. 

So, here she was, standing on the outskirts of the dance floor, listening to muffled conversations around her that were drowned out by the DJ’s music. It all made her claustrophobic, and Hermione needed to get away, if only for a short while. She looked over at her forced date, who seemed to be engaged in a lively conversation with one of his frat brothers, and decided he wouldn’t miss her if she escaped outside for some fresh air. 

Hermione crept away from his side, unnoticed by the rest of the partygoers, and made her way to the large oak doors. She opened one without a second glance back toward her date and slipped outside onto the accompanying terrace. The cool air hit her face, and she took in a deep breath. It was amazing how quickly nature could relax her. 

Walking over to the edge of the balcony, Hermione looked out at the moonlit view. There were rows upon rows of grapevines, and the scent of fresh fruit was filling her senses. She felt the stress of the evening melt away even as the party continued inside, yet the urge to get even further away from the crowded room remained. There were stairs that led to a lower patio, and Hermione took them before anyone could have noticed she was outside. 

As she stepped onto the patio, she heard the door open above her, and the noise from the party flooded into the night.  _ Yes, it was a good decision to come out here _ , she thought. Hermione looked down and checked her watch, only to reveal that she still needed to withstand another hour of the god-forsaken party before the limo would be taking them home; well, whoever was left. Hermione was certain that some of her Sigma Del sisters would undoubtedly be going home with some of the Tau Sigs. At least Padma promised she’d be there for the ride back. She knew how uncomfortable Draco made Hermione.

Hermione heard the sounds of the party as the door opened again, and she ventured further onto the property, walking down one of the rows of grapevines. Maybe she should have pretended to be ill tonight after all, but of all the parties she was expected to attend as a sorority girl, this was the one she was looking forward to the most. It was a shame that the entitled blonde ferret had all but ruined her night. He really did personify his house’s mascot: the snake.

The Sigma Dels, on the other hand, had claimed their mascot as the eagle, which fit their dedication to wit and wisdom. This was one of the reasons Hermione had been looking forward to tonight’s event. The Character Ball was a fancy way for the Theta Betas to host a dance, but instead of the typical short skirts and revealing dresses that were standard party attire, all attendees were asked to dress as a character from a novel. Everything about them needed to be true to the character they’d chosen: clothes, shoes, hair, makeup, and even accessories, which was why Hermione had left her phone in the limo. The Theta Betas didn’t mess around. Hermione had chosen to dress as Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. It was her favorite book, renting the regency dress was certainly worth the price to become her favorite character. 

There was a rustle from behind that brought Hermione out of her thoughts. She paused, immediately wondering if someone had found her.  _ Not Draco, not Draco _ , she practically begged.

“Should you really be out here when there’s a party raging inside?” said a voice behind her. 

Hermione turned gracefully to see who the voice belonged to. She was thinking quickly for an excuse in case it was an employee when her brain short-circuited. The man in front of her was dressed in Regency-era clothing, much like herself. Her body relaxed slightly as she realized he was likely another party-goer, but Hermione still felt on edge. 

He was tall, with freckles sprinkling his face and his sapphire eyes watching her closely. She felt like he could see right through her, see all her thoughts and dreams, her secrets and desires. It was unnerving yet invigorating at the same time. She struggled to find her voice as she tried to place him within the Greek system.

“Shouldn’t you?”

He smirked at her retort. “You wouldn’t happen to be channeling your character, would you?”

“You know who I am?” Hermione was surprised.

“Did you truly expect that Mr. Darcy wouldn’t be able to single out his one true love in a sea of modern-day characters?” he cocked an eyebrow at her.

Hermione’s lips curled at the corners at his response as her heart fluttered in her chest. It felt as though this stranger understood every part of her despite not knowing her in the slightest. Who was this guy, and how had she never met him before?

“Ah, so you’ve been watching me,” she responded coyly.

“Well, when you see one other person dressed in Regency Era clothing, amongst a couple hundred fraternity and sorority members dressed in other more boring costumes, it definitely catches your eye.” His smirk turned into a lopsided grin that made me weak in the knees. “So, what brings you out here, Ms. Bennet?”

Hermione smiled as she thought for a moment. “Well, you could say that a Wickham-like character has soured my evening.”

“Ah, the blonde? Yeah, he seems rather pretentious.”

“That’s one way of putting it,” Hermione agreed as she stepped closer to him. “I’d rather wander through the grapevines than suffer through the party.”

He nodded slowly. “Have you tried any of the grapes?” He asked as he plucked one off the vines.

“No!” she responded incredulously. “You shouldn’t have done that. It’s not ours to take!”

He chuckled. “Do you really think they’re going to miss one grape?” 

The man popped the tiny fruit into his mouth. Hermione couldn’t help but watch the way his lips moved as he chewed the small grape, and her mind wandered to how her lips might feel against her own. Her eyes followed his hand as he reached out to pluck another grape off the vine.

“Try it.”

Hermione hesitated as he stepped closer and held the grape out to her. The scent of his cologne was intoxicating to her as it flooded her senses. She could practically feel the heat pour off his body in their close proximity. 

Throwing caution to the wind, Hermione leaned forward as her lips parted slightly over his fingers. She gently took the grape in her teeth and pulled it away from his grasp. Hermione closed her lips around the grape and bit down, allowing the mixture of sweet and tang to invade her taste buds. She closed her eyes momentarily as a soft “mmmm” escaped her lips.

“That good, huh?”

“Yes,” she agreed.

Hermione opened her eyes to see him watching her intently. She was used to the Tau Sigs showing interest in her, but none of them had ever looked at her like this before. At least, that’s what she thought. Maybe she didn’t allow herself to notice any others. Her bookish ways found her in the library several times a week, and whenever she attended parties, Hermione would stay for about an hour before disappearing back to Sigma Del.

He was so close, and Hermione was struggling with her self-control. After watching him eat the grape, she wanted nothing more than to feel his lips on hers. Maybe it was the romantic atmosphere under the stars and among the vineyard that was fueling her courage, or perhaps it was the fact that he was dressed as Mr. Darcy, and she was Elizabeth.

The war in her mind continued to wage on, even though Hermione had made her decision. Her heart was pounding in her chest as he watched her carefully, waiting for her next move. Ceasing thought, Hermione allowed her body to take the reins.

Her hands reached up and grabbed the collar of his coat, pulling him in to eliminate the remaining space between them. She lifted up on her toes as she pressed her lips into his. For a split second, Hermione second-guessed her rash decision. And then one of his hands gripped her waist while the other cupped her face as he tilted her into his lips to kiss her back. _And he kissed her_ _hard._

It was unlike anything Hermione had ever felt before. To be wanted. To be kissed so passionately that she saw sparks fly through closed eyes, and shivers ran up and down her spine. She allowed herself to become completely lost in the feel of this stranger, who seemed to know her better than any of her closest friends.

She pushed the question of his identity from her mind and allowed herself to fully become the character she was dressed as. It was a truly self-indulgent moment, but Hermione didn’t care. Right now, she was Elizabeth Bennet and he was Mr. Darcy, and she’d finally accepted his proposal.


	2. Chapter 2

###  “Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” - Act I, scene v

Ron had never tasted anything so sweet in his life. For some reason, he was drawn to her as she captivated all of his senses. The sound of her soft breath between kisses, and the feel of her petite body against his was making him dizzy with want. He couldn’t help his wandering hands as they reached up and played with the tight chignon of her hair, desperately wanting to let it free as his lips continued to capture hers in the most exquisite way.

It was ironic, really, the way he’d never felt like this before. Even despite being in love with the girl who recently broke his heart. Ron truly thought Lavender was the one for him, but after almost two years of dating, she decided things weren’t going to work out between them, and as a result, he’d been avoiding most of the events that involved Kappa Gamma Epsilon. His brothers hadn’t been thrilled with that decision, which was why he had been forced here tonight.

He’d begrudgingly agreed since he could at least dress up and pretend to be someone else for a night. Someone desirable and highly sought after, craving the one woman it seemed like he couldn’t have. But right now, Lavender was the last thing on his mind. 

All Ron could think and feel had to do with this beautiful girl he saw wandering around the vineyard from the upper terrace. He’d been intrigued by why she was alone out here instead of engaging in the party. Plus, she seemed to be dressed similarly to himself, and he needed to know more about the girl who he guessed was dressed as his literary character’s one true love.

At first, she seemed nervous about being caught, but he was impressed with her quick wit and coy responses to his questions. He hadn’t meant to pluck a grape and offer it to her, but she’d been so alluring that the words had just slipped out. He’d sworn himself off women since the semester’s start in the hopes that Lavender might change her mind. Yet here in the moonlight, he couldn’t help but feel as though he might just be ready to move on. The more lost Ron became in her kiss, the more he wanted her. Maybe a one night stand might be good for him. 

Ron deepened the kiss against his better judgment. Despite being two months out of a relationship, he knew that he really shouldn’t get her hopes up for anything more than a fun night.  _ Singular _ . Yet the way she’d hesitated with taking the grape from his fingers, to the tortured look of want and desire in her eyes told him that this wasn’t something she was used to. Her jumping him seemed to be spontaneous, and it sent him into a tailspin of want and desire.

He pulled her closer still, as her hands released his coat and moved around to his back. Ron’s lips moved down her jawline to her neck, which elicited a slight moan from her lips. His hands gripped at the thin fabric of her Regency-era dress as he resisted the urge to untie the back. He didn’t even know her name!

Ron nipped at her collarbone as he asked in a low voice, “What sorority do you belong to?”

He knew she had to be part of one. The Theta Zetas were exclusive with invites to these sorts of parties. They  _ only  _ allowed Greeks to attend.

Ron felt her stiffen slightly at his question and wondered why that question could have possibly bothered her.

“Sigma Del,” she whispered against his shoulder. 

_ Of all the houses _ , Ron thought. This seemed to be the cherry on top of a shitty senior year. Zeta Mu Tau had a ridiculous outstanding rivalry with the Tau Sigs, which extended to the Sigma Dels. His brothers had always sworn off any of the Sigma Del girls, but it wasn’t something that ever bothered him. He had no reason for it to, considering his ex-girlfriend was a Kappa Gamma. 

But now, Ron wanted nothing more than to explore every part of this woman with whom he found himself in a close embrace, and he didn’t really give a damn about her sorority. As far as he was concerned, the whole ‘you can’t date someone in this house’ was archaic and fucking stupid. Hopefully, she’d feel the same.

As if on cue, however, she pulled away from him. She looked shell shocked as if cold water had just been doused over her head. “I should go.” 

Ron held her close, unwilling to let her go. “Don’t go. I’m sure no one’s missing us.”

“I—I can’t. I’m sorry.” She looked away before releasing herself from his grasp and disappearing through the grapevines back toward the party.

Ron watched her go, words catching in his throat as he resisted the urge to call back to her. He barely knew her, so why was he so desperate for her to stay? If she didn’t want to be here, then so be it. Perhaps it was better that way, considering which sorority she was affiliated with. 

He waited a few minutes before following her footsteps. It wouldn’t look good if he returned to the party at the same time as her. Even if he didn’t care, someone was bound to notice and question it. Ron began climbing the stairs to the upper terrace when he heard a series of moans come from the other side of the lower patio.

Instantly, he was brought back to the grapevine from mere moments ago as he recalled the way the mystery girl moaned against his lips.  _ I need to get a grip _ , he thought as he walked to the balcony. He couldn’t go back into the crowded room yet, not in his current condition. What was wrong with him? A mere recollection was giving him a hard-on. Toward the end of their relationship, Lavender needed to be half-naked before an erection would present itself.

_ I must be desperate for sex _ , Ron thought as he peered out into the night sky. He heard the moans again, drawing his eyes towards the lucky couple that was certainly enjoying their—

“Oh bloody fucking hell,” he muttered under his breath; his previous issue was instantly resolved. 

He caught a flash of flaming red hair and a glint of armor being shed and immediately wanted to tear his eyes out of his head. The seductive noises were coming from none other than his sister and Harry, his best friend, as he recognized the shock of messy black hair. He had half a mind to tell them to get a room, but he knew that’d force him to sleep on the couch in the main room tonight at the ΖΒΜ house. 

Ginny was a Kappa Gamma Epsilon, just like Lavender, and they had a strict ‘no boys’ policy. This meant the girls had to stay at Zeta Mu if they wanted to engage in any frivolous activities. While Ron was with Lavender, he and Harry had developed a sort of schedule, so they’d know when to avoid the room. It was a decent system, even if it meant Ron had to sleep on Neville’s floor some nights.

Ron pushed himself away from the railing and figured it’d be better if he went back to the party. He really didn’t want to hear any more of what was happening below. The event was still in full swing and showed no signs of slowing down, even though the formal invitation indicated things would be wrapping up in fifteen minutes. 

Ron looked around the large ballroom, hoping to find Neville, Seamus, or Dean, some of his other frat brothers. He figured if he spotted them, he’d grab a beer and join them until it was time to head back to campus. As he scanned the room, it was almost as if fate decided to step in again. He spotted the girl with whom he’d just gotten to know quite well out in the vines, and he was instantly drawn to her again. 

She looked lost and somewhat uncomfortable as her hands fidgeted with the skirt of her dress. The girl was chewing nervously on her lip, and any hopes he had of leaving her alone vanished. His feet walked over to her of their own accord, but he stopped short when another guy swooped in and engaged her in conversation.

Ron recognized him and was trying to place his house when it dawned on him that he was the entitled prick in Tau Sigma.  _ Of course she’d be with a guy like him _ , Ron initially thought, until he noticed something odd. Was she trying to ignore him? The blonde, sharp-featured guy reached out a hand to place on the small of her back as she shrank away from him. Ron noticed him scowl as she seemed to look around for anyone she knew.

That was when her eyes landed on Ron. He saw the trepidation in her eyes and decided to intervene. He strode over to her with purpose.

“Hey, I couldn’t help but notice—”

“Hermione, are you almost ready to go?” Ron looked up to see Penelope Clearwater, Sigma Del’s bitchy president gliding over to where his mystery girl stood. “Ew, who are you?” she directed to Ron, turning her nose up at him.

Before Ron could answer, Tau Sig douche intervened. “Actually, Penelope, I was just asking Hermione to accompany me back to campus.”

Ron couldn’t help but snort loudly at his words. If he read the girl’s—er, Hermione, now that he could attach a name to her face—actions, that was the last thing she wanted.

“Seriously, who  _ are  _ you?” Penelope asked again, affronted at his actions.

“I’m not sure, Penelope, but that was certainly not a sound becoming of Mr. Darcy,” Hermione spoke with a slight raise of her eyebrows.

So this was how she wanted to play, was it? “Actually, I came over to see if the lovely Ms. Bennet would care for a dance?”

“Why would she want to dance with you when she has a perfectly acceptable boyfriend?” the Clearwater chick chimed in again.

Ron cocked an eyebrow at Hermione.  _ Boyfriend? _ She certainly didn’t act like she had a boyfriend when she’d thrown herself at him earlier. Now he  _ really _ wanted to know what the story was.

“Please, Miss Bennet, I insist,” Ron pressed, continuing the act of anonymity.

He held his hand out, and she took it hesitantly. Ron pulled her out onto the dance floor among dozens of other dancers as the DJ transitioned into a slower song to end the night. It was almost like being at prom again.  _ How cheesy _ , Ron thought. 

Drawing her closer, he placed a hand gently on her waist as his other took her hand. Ron could have gone the whole ‘middle-school awkward arm-length shuffle,’ but the height difference would have exposed the creamy skin on her neck, and he didn’t think he’d be able to resist kissing her there.

“I didn’t need your help, you know,” Hermione insisted.

“Really? Because you looked like you’d rather run back to the grapes than go home with your  _ boyfriend _ . Tell me, Miss Bennet, do you kiss him the same way you kissed me?”

“Considering he’s  _ not  _ my boyfriend, that would be a  _ no _ .”

“No? He seems awfully possessive, not to mention pissed that you’re out here with me and not him.”

She huffed. “If you must know, I was coerced into being his date tonight. If this wasn’t the one event I actually enjoyed, I would have stayed home.”

“This doesn’t have to do with the whole ‘Sigma Dels need to date Tau Sigs, does it?” Ron asked. He didn’t know why it bothered him, but it did.

“That’s exactly it. But how do you—”

“I’m Greek, too, or did you forget that?”

“How could I forget something you neglected to tell me?” she shot back.

“I never neglected to tell you anything. You never asked,” Ron responded playfully. 

Ron had to focus on not becoming completely overwhelmed by the feel of her against him. His hand moved instinctively lower on her back until it rested just above her bum. The shallow gasp that escaped her lips was not lost on him, and he quickly realized he needed to distract himself before he threw her over his shoulders and carried her back out into the night to have his way with her.

So, Hermione, is it?” he crooned in her ear.

“Funny, you now know my name and sorority, and I still don’t know anything about you,” she said with a nervous glance around the dance floor. 

Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. A couple of people had noticed their presence, but it wasn’t anything worth worrying about. People were nosy.

“I’m Ron,” he said casually. “Does that help things now? Knowing my name?”

She eyed him carefully. “I suppose. Do you prefer Ron, or should I refer to you as Mr. Darcy?”

Ron chuckled. “I’ll answer to either. So...care to tell me what that was all about in the vineyard?”

“What do you mean?”

“Did you throw yourself at me to get away from the Tau Sig dickhead?”

“Mr. Darcy, how dare you use such language!” She scoffed, but her eyes shined with mirth.

“I wouldn’t need to ‘throw myself’ at you to get away from him. I can manage just fine, thank you.”

Ron was thinking about how to tell her he’d gladly resume where things left off if she thought it’d piss the ferret boy off, but he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“Oi! Ron, what are you doing with a Sigma Del?” Oliver Wood, our frat president, had sidled up next to them on the dance floor. 

Thankfully he didn’t say it loud enough for others to hear. Ron figured it was only a matter of time until she realized what fraternity he belonged to anyways. And right now, her shocked expression let him know his time was up.

“Tell me you’re not a Zeta Mu,” she groaned.

“Does it really matter?”

“Of course it does! You need to let go of me,” she hissed, realization apparent in her eyes.

Instead, Ron did the opposite. Pulling her closer, he whispered, “Huh, earlier you seemed to like my hands on you.”

  
“That was before I knew who you  _ were _ . My sisters will have my head if they realize I’m dancing with a Zeta Mu,” Hermione argued, but she didn’t pull away.

“You know the whole ‘sworn enemies’ between our houses is ridiculous, right?”

“That doesn’t matter! I shouldn’t be here with you!” 

Neither of them noticed the music fading out as they remained there in the middle of the dance floor. A sudden wave of anxiety seemed to wash over her as she looked up at him. 

“You aren’t going to say anything about what we did out there, are you?”

“Depends. Would you like me to?”

“What do you think?”

“So, I take it kissing you right here, right now is also out of the question? What if it ends this shitty feud between our houses?”

“No!” She hissed. “Promise you won’t tell anyone. Please,” she practically begged.

“You want all of this to be our little secret?” Ron cocked an eyebrow.

“Yes! Why else would I be asking?” Hermione rolled her eyes as her nostrils flared.

She looked fucking adorable. He waited a long moment before responding. Sometimes a dramatic flair was necessary, even if it was only meant for poking fun.

Finally, Ron leaned down and whispered seductively in her ear, “I’m not one to kiss and tell, Miss Bennet.”

He felt her shiver in his arms, and suddenly, he realized just how quiet the spacious room had become. All eyes were on them. The silence was short-lived when someone finally realized  _ who  _ was locked in an embrace in the middle of a now empty dance floor.

“ _ Hermione, what do you think you’re doing with a Zeta Mu! You know they are  _ strictly _ off-limits! _ “ The Clearwater chick shrieked.

“Well, looks like our jig is up,” Ron said as he reluctantly released her. 

The kissing her in front of everyone option was still fresh on his mind, and he knew if he didn’t let her go now, he might not be able to practice any restraint. Ron noticed Harry and Ginny had re-entered the room and were watching with wide eyes. He turned back to Penelope, who looked about ready to blow a gasket, and that’s when he noticed the blonde piece of shit standing next to Oliver, a triumphant smirk on his face.

He watched Hermione walk over to Penelope, and several of the other girls joined them before whisking her away, no doubt back to their ride to the sorority house. The only thing that made him feel slightly better was that her supposed date was left on the sidelines by the punch bowl.  _ Serves the fucker right _ , Ron thought.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, he made his way over to Harry and Ginny. Ron did his best to put Hermione out of his mind with no success. He had the sneaking suspicion that this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.


End file.
